Poniatowski went to Vienna. He refused the offers of Catherine and Paul
to bear arms in the service of Russia.

Poniatowaki retired to his estate year Warsaw, where he lived like a
private gentleman until the creation of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw revived
the hopes of the Polish patriots. He then became War Minister. The
Archduke Ferdinand having come, in 1809, with Austrian troops to take
possession of the Duchy of Warsaw, Poniatowski, who commanded the Polish
troops, which were very inferior in numbers to the Austrian force,
obliged the latter, rather by dint of skillful maneuvering than by
fighting, to evacuate the Grand Duchy. He pursued them into Galicia as
far as Cracow.

After this honourable campaign he continued to exercise his functions as
Minister until 1812. The war against Russia again summoned him to the
head of the Polish army. After taking part in all the events of that
war, which was attended by such various chances, Poniatowaki was present
at the battle of Leipsic. That battle, which commenced on the 14th of
October, the anniversary of the famous battles of Ulm and of Jena, lasted
four days, and decided the fate of Europe. Five hundred thousand men
fought on a surface of three square leagues.

Retreat having become indispensable, Napoleon took leave at Leipsic of
the King of Saxony and his family, whom he had brought with him from
Dresden. The Emperor then exclaimed in a loud voice, "Adieu; Saxons," to
the people who filled the market-place, where the King of Saxony resided.
With some difficulty, and after passing through many turnings and
windings, he gained the suburb of Runstadt and left Leipsic by the outer
gate of that suburb which leads to the bridge of the Elster, and to
Lindenau. The bridge was blown up shortly after he had passed it, and